Chen Junshi: Mooncakes' "sugar reduction" caused controversy, "0 sugar" is not the goal

Researcher Chen Junshi

Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering

Chief Advisor of National Food Safety Risk Assessment Center

Expert opinion 1: Reducing sugar content is good for health, and the food industry has a responsibility to provide new products with reduced or no added sugar

Sugar is an important seasoning for traditional Chinese diet and a major ingredient in many processed foods. It can not only satisfy the needs of the tongue, but also has important physiological functions. However, in nutrition, sugar provides "empty energy", that is, it does not contain other essential nutrients, but only provides energy. If sugar provides too much energy, it will affect the intake of other foods and nutrients. If you eat too much sugar, that is, you eat too much energy. If you don't pay attention to consumption and don't pay attention to matching, the increased energy intake may cause overweight and obesity. People's preference for sweetness is innate, which is an objective existence, and sugar, as a carbohydrate, has important physiological functions. Don't turn sugar into white poison.

In recent years, important policy documents such as my country's National Nutrition Plan (2017-2030), Healthy China Action (2019-2030), and China's Medium- and Long-Term Plan for the Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Diseases (2017-2025) have all included "sugar reduction" as an important content. The World Health Organization also recommends limiting the intake of added sugars to less than 10% of total energy, and reducing it to less than 5% will have more health benefits. In this regard, the food industry has the responsibility to provide new products with less or no added sugar through technological innovation.

Expert opinion 2: Reduced sugar products should be encouraged, but improper product formulation design may lead to adverse reactions

As mentioned earlier, sugar-reduced mooncakes cause diarrhea. This is because sugar alcohols are used in the mooncake formula. Sugar alcohols are a sweetener that is slightly less sweet than sucrose and has less energy than sucrose. The sweetness and energy provided by different sugar alcohols are different. In general, sugar alcohols are a new sweetener that has certain uses in food processing. However, if sugar alcohols are eaten too much, they will form hyperosmotic in the gastrointestinal tract, and there will be more water in the large intestine, which will cause diarrhea. Of course, there are other adverse reactions such as bloating and abdominal pain. It is possible that the mooncakes contain sugar alcohols to cause diarrhea. I want to emphasize that this is an individual case, because the mooncakes do not use excessive amounts of sugar alcohols, and they are still within the scope of national standards. Everyone's ability to adapt to the hyperosmotic effect of sugar alcohols is different. Consumers who have diarrhea after eating mooncakes may be more sensitive, but in any case, it has raised a warning bell for us.

Expert opinion three: "0 sugar" should not be a gimmick for merchants to promote, and sugar reduction should be viewed rationally

Many labels say zero sugar or zero sucrose, but this should not be a promotional gimmick for businesses. Reducing sugar needs to be rational. Sugar is not just sucrose, it may also include glucose, fructose, etc. Disaccharides and monosaccharides are all sugar. If a beverage claims to have no sucrose, but it may contain other sugars, such as fructose, it still contains sugar. No added sugar or zero sugar, there may also be concentrated fruit juice added, which all contain sugar. Reducing sugar is the government's call, and businesses should respond. Zero sugar should not be used as a promotional gimmick for businesses.

Picture丨TuChong Creative

Expert suggestion 1: Scientific sugar reduction and balanced diet are important directions for innovation in the food industry

The key to reducing sugar is a balanced diet. We should consider this concept and comprehensively consider the balance of energy, because reducing sugar is one aspect of controlling total energy intake. In addition, reducing sugar in food needs to be gradual and cannot be done all at once. Another aspect is the reasonable use of sweeteners. Sweeteners are safe and should be used reasonably within the scope of government regulations.

Expert suggestion 2: Scientific sugar reduction focuses on the kitchen

"Sugar Intake Levels and Risk Assessment of Urban Residents in China" shows that the primary source of sugar intake for Chinese residents is cooking sugar (28.2%). When people talk about "reducing sugar intake", they often ignore the kitchen where everyone cooks three meals a day. It is very important to control the amount of sugar used in the kitchens of families, canteens, and restaurants. Scientific sugar reduction focuses on the kitchen. You can gradually reduce the amount of sugar used during cooking, adapt to and cultivate a light taste, and thus reduce sugar intake. In addition, the sugar content in certain categories of processed foods needs to be reduced.

Expert suggestion three: zero sugar or sugar-free labels are not recommended, consumers need to know the truth

Food companies are not encouraged to use "0 sugar" or "sugar-free" labels to attract consumers. Instead, they must actually reduce sugar and inform consumers what measures have been taken to reduce sugar or what sweeteners have been used.

Consumers should carefully check the ingredient list to determine the sugar content of the product and whether there is really no added sugar, whether sweeteners are used, and what kind of sweeteners are used. As long as the sweeteners are used according to regulations, they are safe.

The "Scientific Interpretation of Food Safety and Health Hot Topics Media Communication Conference" has been held for 10 consecutive years since 2012. Every year, authoritative experts are invited to provide scientific interpretations of the annual food safety and health hot topics. In the form of "consensus in the scientific and technological community", it is widely disseminated through mainstream media and new media, such as television, newspapers, the Internet, Weibo, WeChat, etc. With scientific truth and fair suggestions, we will guide the public opinion on food safety in my country to gradually change in a scientific, objective and rigorous direction, and convey the positive energy of China's food safety.